Laurence II of Kazan

His Eminence Laurence II of Kazan, also Lavrenty II of Kazan, was the Metropolitan of the Eparchy of Kazan of the Church of Russia in the seventeenth century, serving from 1657 to 1672. He is noted as the composer of the canons honoring Ss. Gury and Herman.

Life

Little is known of the life of Metropolitan Laurence. Prior to his metropolitanate at Kazan he was the Archbishop of Tver. He was transferred to the Eparchy of Kazan in 1657. Metr. Laurence came to the see of Kazan only a few years after the miraculous procession of 1654 from the Seven Lakes Monastery to Kazan of the icon of the Holy Theotokos of Smolensk and Seven Lakes after which the plague that raged through out much of European Russia died out. In commemoration of this miracle, Metr. Laurence inaugurated an annual procession in the eparchy on June 26 of the icon from the Seven Lakes monastery to Kazan.

Before his repose, Metr. Laurence took the Great Schema with the name Levky (Leukius). He reposed on November 11, 1672 and was buried in the crypt under the main altar of the [[[Annunciation Cathedral (Kazan Kremlin, Russia)|Annunciation Cathedral]] in Kazan.